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TYPICAL SCENE IN THE MOTHERS’ ROOM OF THE YOUNGSTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY 































THE BIRTHRIGHT 
OF BABYHOOD 

New Enlarged Edition 

by 

Clarence Wesley Sumner 

» 

With an Introduction by 
Garry C. Myers 


ALBERT WHITMAN & CO. 

CHICAGO 194° ILLINOIS 


COPYRIGHT, 1940 
BY ALBERT WHITMAN & CO. 

COPYRIGHT, 1936 
BY CLARENCE WESLEY SUMNER 


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To 

A Mother who knew her job — My Wife 



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Printed in the U.S.A. 


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APR -4 1940 


INTRODUCTION 


Clarence Wesley Sumner seems to have a habit of 
pioneering. About seventeen years ago, November i, 
1919, he stepped ahead and developed a systematic 
plan for extending the service of the public library 
to hospitals, working out a library technique that has 
spread world-wide. 

No sooner had he seen the program well under way 
than he began to get visions and dream dreams of an¬ 
other and more daring venture into regions unex¬ 
plored. Eventually he set out and blazed the trail 
moving forward on a new frontier. This time it is in 
adult education, more specifically, in parent education. 

His has been a long, long adventure over a period of 
years culminating in the Mothers’ Room of the Youngs¬ 
town Public Library. In a forceful way the author tells 
us all about it, with the principles that are involved, in 
this delightful volume, The Birthright of Babyhood. 

Beginning when his eighteen-year-old son was born, 
he and his wife gradually acquired the concrete first¬ 
hand experience out of which the Mothers’ Room idea 
evolved. They deliberately set out with a purpose to 
cultivate in this child from infancy the love of books 
and reading. Looking about them and digging into liter¬ 
ature they found that a few other children had acquired 
the love of books in a similar fashion. Through the 
years of contact with many other parents they were 


INTRODUCTION 


able to inspire a number of them to do likewise and 
were able also to observe the good effect upon the 
children. 

Just as Mr. Sumner’s hospital-library program be¬ 
came the model for the nation and later spread to other 
countries, so this new enterprise of his is destined, no 
doubt, soon to be nation-wide and eventually world¬ 
wide. But useful as the hospital-library contribution was 
for human welfare, Mr. Sumner’s latest contribution 
seems to have possibilities which are vastly more far- 
reaching. 

It is not at all improbable that its influence, in years 
to come, will reach directly and indirectly into the 
majority of homes of most nations. It focuses in a 
very dramatic way many of the finest parent-child ex¬ 
periences of the ages and is buttressed by good sound 
principles of modern psychology. 

This volume should make a strong appeal to up-and- 
coming librarians, parents, teachers, school administra¬ 
tors, parent educators, child psychologists, mental 
hygienists, and all others who are deeply interested in 
children. 

I consider The Birthright of Babyhood and the 
Mothers’ Room of the Youngstown Public Library, 
the most significant contribution to parent education— 
if not to education in general—in my memory. 

Garry Cleveland Myers 


FOREWORD 


This little volume has been written primarily for the 
benefit of mothers everywhere; however, it is hoped that 
it may be of practical value to teachers in nursery schools 
and kindergartens, and also to elementary teachers in all 
schools. It is an attempt to outline the best and surest 
method of instilling in the child a real and lasting love of 
books and reading that will carry through life. 

The method is based on an age-old idea and principle, 
and will bring rich rewards to any mother who will con¬ 
scientiously apply it. While many mothers the world 
over have followed the plan to a greater or lesser extent, 
it is time that greater emphasis be given to this tried and 
proved method, and that every mother be urged to begin 
soon after the child’s birth, lest she deprive him of a 
rich heritage that few can give so well as she herself. 

Much has been written on the health and care of the 
child. In more recent years increasing attention has been 
directed to the pre-school period. We believe that seri¬ 
ous consideration should also be given to this vitally im¬ 
portant matter of how and when to instill the love of 
books and reading in the child. 

Babyhood demands its birthright. 

It is every mother’s job. 

C. W. Sumner 


Youngstown, Ohio 










CONTENTS 


Chapter One 

Every Mother’s Opportunity. 17 

Chapter Two 

Why the Love of Books and Reading?. 23 

Chapter Three 

The Method. 29 

Chapter Four 

The Mothers’ Room. 39 

Chapter Five 

The Child and His Library. 44 

Chapter Six 

Reading Menu. 51 

Chapter Seven 

Sources of Recommended Material. 66 

















ACKNOWLEDGMENT 


In the preparation of this volume, the author wishes 
to express his deep appreciation of the able and en¬ 
thusiastic assistance rendered by his professional staff. 
He also wishes to acknowledge the helpful suggestions 
given by many mothers who have followed this method 
with success. Thanks are also due to the following per¬ 
sons and publishers for generous permission to use copy¬ 
righted material: 

G. P. Putnam’s Sons for use of the poem “The Moon” 
by Eliza Lee Follen in Cambridge Book of Poetry for 
Children by K. Grahame. 

Mary Wilder Tileston and Little Brown & Co. for 
use of the poem “The Snow-bird’s Song” by F. C. 
Woodworth in Sugar and Spice and All That's Nice. 

Strickland Gillilan for use of his poem The Reading 
Mother. 

William L. Stidger for use of his poem “A Book and 
a Child” from I Saw God Wash the World, copyright by 
the author. 






CHAPTER ONE 


EVERY MOTHER’S OPPORTUNITY 

For a number of years the outstanding child training 
experts have been stressing the first few years as the 
most impressionable in the child’s life for lasting influ¬ 
ence. In line with their teachings, and because the mother 
and her babe are more closely associated in this first 
period, perhaps, than at any other time, it is highly 
important that she take note of this. 

Whether we are building a great edifice such as a 
cathedral or whether we are building a life, the super¬ 
structure must rest on a solid foundation. If it is im¬ 
portant to build so strongly for the one, it is of greater 
importance to do likewise for the other. This is our 
opportunity to lay fundamental planks which will con¬ 
tribute to a greater intelligence and imagination—to a 
more extended vocabulary and to character building. 

The health and care of the child, of course, come first, 
and certainly every little one is entitled to a sound body 
and sound mind. Parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, and 
social workers are all striving to this end. This is as 
it should be. But what about a natural and enduring 
love of books and reading? Is not every child entitled 
to its birthright in this respect? Is this of so little im¬ 
portance that we allow it to become a mere chance affair ? 
Every mother should recognize that she has, with her 
17 


18 THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 

own child from the day of its birth, the great privilege 
of training him to love books. 

Since child psychologists and educators maintain 
that greater influence can be exercised during the first 
few years than in any other period of the child’s life, 
why do so many mothers allow the water to run over the 
dam for five years—the best years in the child’s life 
from the standpoint of lasting influence? It is in this 
earliest period when the mind can be stimulated and 
the imagination can be awakened, that this important 
work of instilling a real and lasting love of books and 
reading can best be begun. This is a matter of such vital 
importance that the day will come, we predict, when 
librarians and teachers trained for this special work will 
become a necessary part of the educational personnel of 
our schools. 

There has been a growing tendency to throw an in¬ 
creasing burden on the teacher, and it has come to the 
place where we are expecting almost the impossible from 
the schools in the training of our children. Every mother 
really knows that at best the teacher has the child so 
few hours each day during the brief school year that 
there is a limit to “teacher influence.” 

Our appeal is made to the average mother to begin 
and carry on this important work with her own child 
in her own home. Shall we continue to overburden the 
teacher in the elementary school by expecting her to 
teach the love of books as well as the mechanics of read¬ 
ing? Mothers should begin this work in early infancy, 
almost from the day of birth, and we are confident that 
when more mothers realize what they themselves can 
accomplish in this respect with their own children, they 


EVERY MOTHER’S OPPORTUNITY 


19 


will assume their full responsibility and allow nothing to 
interfere with a definite plan and program. More power 
and glory to that wise mother who has recognized her 
duty and has given her child this love of books and 
reading. 

While we emphasize that this is every mother’s obli¬ 
gation, we include also the father and the older brother 
and sister whose interest can be enlisted in this work. 
This will relieve the mother and help to give the baby 
his birthright. 






















“You know . . . that the beginning is the most im¬ 
portant part of any work, especially in the case of a 
young and tender thing; for that is the time at which 
the character is being formed . . . And shall we . . . 
carelessly allow children to hear any casual tales which 
may be devised . . . , and to receive into their minds 
ideas . . . the very opposite of those which we should 
wish them to have when they are grown up. We can¬ 
not. Then the first thing will be to establish a censorship 
of the writers of fiction . . . and we will desire mothers 
and nurses to tell their children the authorized [tales] 
only. Let them fashion the mind with such tales, even 
more fondly than they mold the body with their 
hands; . . 


Plato 



CHAPTER TWO 


WHY THE LOVE OF BOOKS AND 
READING? 

Through the ages, recorded thought has been a vital 
part of human history and experience. All literature 
bears eloquent testimony to the value of books and 
reading in the lives of men. It has been well said that 
“knowledge is power.” Both individuals and nations 
grow and advance in proportion to their ability to in¬ 
terpret properly and make wise use of the growing ex¬ 
perience of humanity, much of which is recorded in 
books. This is what we know as history. We need to read 
the lives and writings of only a few great men—philoso¬ 
phers, poets, men of letters, scientists, statesmen, and 
others—to realize fully the vital and fundamental part 
that books and reading have played in their lives. 

There are several aspects of this subject, however, 
which we venture to call to the attention of parents and 
teachers and especially to the mothers of today. There 
has never been a time when it was more important to 
the individual to have acquired the reading habit and to 
have developed a real love of books than in this highly 
complex, ultra-practical, busy, dizzy, machine age in 
which we live today. Is there a mother who is not justi¬ 
fied, even with all her usual cares and responsibilities, in 
assuming this added burden even though it does call for 

23 


24 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


systematic, untiring effort on her part during the first 
years of her child’s life? It is true that the very nature 
of the times in which we live makes the joy of books 
and the love of reading more valuable possibly, more 
essential, more vital to the welfare and happiness of the 
individual than in any other day and age in the world’s 
history. We need more time for contemplation, intro¬ 
spection, and repose; we need more time to live. Reading 
brings relaxation and takes us away from the prob¬ 
lems and worries of everyday life. Every individual 
needs this great balance wheel if life is to mean more 
than the mere routine of living. And what about the 
tempo of tomorrow? Will there be any less need for 
the benign and quieting influence of books in the lives 
of men and women? We leave the answer to our reader. 

And finally we submit another vital and fundamental 
reason for this early training of every child. If the love 
of books and reading is properly instilled in the child 
from babyhood, it will, in most cases, carry through 
life. In fact, there is serious question that if this is not 
acquired in early childhood, it seldom is gained in later 
years, at least to the same degree. This is, after all, the 
real reason why so many adults of our day and gen¬ 
eration are not reading substantial and worthwhile lit¬ 
erature. This is the reason that so few adults buy books 
to build up their own home libraries. This is the reason 
that some people buy books for furniture. Too many 
adults of today have failed to get something in child¬ 
hood which was their inherent right to receive at “that 
best academe, a mother’s knee.” The busy man of af¬ 
fairs and the laborer in the ranks offer the same alibi: 
“I haven’t time to read.” As a rule, a person finds time 


WHY THE LOVE OF BOOKS AND READING? 25 

to do the things he most wants to do. How much richer 
and fuller life can be to the man or woman who loves 
to read. What a heritage and what a blessing the mother 
can bestow upon her child that will carry on down 
through the years and enable him to live the more 
abundant life. How lonely and empty must be old age 
without this great blessing—a real love of reading. As 
the physical body weakens, life’s interests lessen; and 
as we grow older we are compelled to give up more and 
more of the good things. If we love books and reading, 
we can actually have the world at our feet in old age. 



























THE READING MOTHER 


By Strickland Gillilan 

I had a Mother who read to me 
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea, 
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth, 
“Blackbirds” stowed in the hold beneath. 

I had a Mother who read me lays 
Of ancient and gallant and golden days; 
Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe, 

Which every boy has a right to know. 

I had a Mother who read me tales 
Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales, 
True to his trust till his tragic death, 
Faithfulness blent with his final breath. 

I had a Mother who read me the things 
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings — 
Stories that stir with an upward touch, 

Oh, that each mother of boys were such. 

You may have tangible wealth untold; 

Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. 

Richer than I, you can never be — 

/ had a Mother who read to me. 










CHAPTER THREE 


THE METHOD 

Early Stages 

In the previous chapters we have earnestly endeavored 
to convince the mother that her baby is entitled to its 
birthright; that, as a matter of actual fact, whether 
or not her child is to be properly trained from infancy 
to love books and reading depends largely on her own 
efforts, or those of some one properly trained who will 
actually do this work at the right time and in the right 
way. Assuming that the mother is convinced of the 
value of this undertaking—that the result will be worth 
the effort—we are now ready to consider the method. 

To have a restful, quiet sleep, a child must be relaxed. 
Soothing sounds have been calming babies for centuries. 
From the beginning of time it has been the universal 
custom of mothers to sing lullabies to their children. 
This is a natural manifestation of mother love which 
reassures and quiets the baby and soon sends him to 
the land of “Wynken, Blyken, and Nod.” This does 
not mean that babies should be rocked to sleep. This 
practice has been proven most inadvisable, but lulla¬ 
bies may be given while preparing the child for bed. In 
fact, they can be sung at any time during the day. 

Hearing is vague at birth, we are told, but after the 
first few days, the infant is able to hear sounds. In this 
29 


30 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


earliest period, while it may appear that he is merely 
soothed and quieted, yet there is an underlying influ¬ 
ence. This is the very first step in teaching the child the 
love of hooks and reading. Every mother should realize 
this fact when she is singing or humming softly to her 
baby. The modern mother who is too busy to sing 
to her child is depriving him of an inherent right. How 
important it is, then, that the mother begin a systematic 
and definite program almost from the day of birth. This 
period in the daily life of the child should be as rigidly 
scheduled and as faithfully adhered to as his bath and 
meals. Without it, he is limited emotionally as well as 
physically, and handicapped in his start in life. 

Almost every mother in every walk of life is en¬ 
dowed by nature with a voice suited to this type of work. 
It is true that she may not be able to sing difficult songs, 
but the soft, crooning tones of a simple lullaby are 
within the reach of all mothers and every baby is an 
appreciative audience. It is not necessary for a mother 
to choose a song that is definitely known as a lullaby. 
Any verse, simple in content, with pronounced swinging 
rhythm, and some repetition may be used. The soft, sing¬ 
ing tone of the voice and its effect upon the child make it 
a lullaby. They should always be chosen for their 
simplicity and rhythm. The words are not so essential, 
for it is the sound that appeals. 

When he has reached the age of five or six months, 
simple little rhymes or jingles may be used with the 
lullabies. Their rhythm and swing will appeal to the 
little one and will encourage him to try to respond to 
them. 


THE METHOD 31 

As soon as the child is able to direct the use of his 
hands, finger plays may be introduced. In this form, also, 
he is able to enjoy the rhythm in the words as he hears 
them, and to give outward expression of that enjoyment. 
These movements may at first be an imitation of those of 
the mother, but gradually little twists and turns will 
be added that are the child’s own invention or response. 
Finger plays may be used in two ways. The mother 
may repeat the words, using the gestures to tell the 
story, or she may sing them. The very little child re¬ 
sponds more readily to the music and motions since 
the singing sounds are pleasing to his ear, and the 
movements of the parent’s hands attract his eye. 

The following finger plays have always appealed to 
children and are perhaps among the first which every 
mother uses: 

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man, 

Make me a cake as fast as you can. 

Roll it, and pat it, and mark it with a B, 

And bake it in the oven for baby and me. 

Knock at the door, 

Peep in, 

Lift up the latch, 

And walk in. 

Rhymes and jingles should be used continuously with 
the finger plays, and in fact all of this material is so 
closely interwoven that it may be used every day through¬ 
out the first five years of life. The ordinary child does 
not outgrow his love of rhymes, but he does ask the 
adult to enlarge his stock-in-trade and suit it to his 
growing comprehension, capacity, and need. 


32 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Later Stages 

Picture books play a large part in the work of teach¬ 
ing a little child to love books and reading. He is at¬ 
tracted to color very early, and when that color is used 
to portray a familiar object, it becomes a joy to him. 
As the mother names the objects in a picture, they are 
placed in the child’s mind, and by daily contact with 
them, he associates the words with the object and 
soon is able to name it himself. 

After the growing child has a background of lulla¬ 
bies, rhymes, jingles, and finger plays, and has made 
many other contacts through the medium of picture 
books, he is then ready for poems. The rhymes and 
jingles of the babyhood days have laid a firm foundation 
for his love of poetry. If the poems are chosen wisely 
and with thought of the child’s future reading in mind, 
he will accept them as a necessary part of his life’s 
routine. Choose poems whose content have a real mean¬ 
ing to the little one; for instance, if the mother knows 
that her child likes a puppy or kitten, why not use one 
or two good verses about those pets? She will teach 
many lessons in this way, in addition to the cultivation 
of the love of poetry. From this familiar ground it 
should be easy to branch out to include all domestic 
animals. Most children do love animals and either 
own them or would like to own them. Thus we give 
the little one companions of his own age, perhaps, in 
connection with objects that interest him most. When 
choosing poems, remember that they should be short, 
simple in theme and language, yet pronounced in rhyth¬ 
mical appeal. They should contain much repetition, since 


THE METHOD 


33 


repetition will tend to make a groove in the mind which 
deepens day by day until the time arrives when the 
child will surprise everyone by repeating the poem 
word for word. No definite effort has been made to 
teach him, yet the poem as a whole has been indelibly 
stamped on his mind, and is a vital part of his equip¬ 
ment for life. 

What child does not love a story? What adult does 
not love a story whether it be in book form or acted 
out upon the stage or screen? The reaction of the 
adult is the result of his childhood training. There are 
many types of stories, including those of the Bible, the 
fairy tale, hero and adventure stories, those of pirates 
and their hidden treasures, the well-known animal stories 
and fables, and many others. No one type can be used 
with every child. Watch carefully the reaction, and if 
it is unfavorable, use a different kind. A child easily 
frightened should never be told stories which would 
accent that tendency. Animation, expression, and a 
soft voice are vital to the success of good story telling 
and reading. 

Perhaps the fables and fairy tales hold first place 
in the introduction of the child to the story. He lives 
in an imaginative world. He lives a life that is entirely 
apart from his own. This is especially true of the four 
or five-year-old. Fairy tales with their appeal to the 
imagination, the element of suspense, and the glamor 
and glitter of the general make-up are favorites. It has 
been shown that the element of cruelty found in some 
of them does not leave as great an impression upon the 
ordinary child as is commonly believed. It merely satis¬ 
fies the primitive instincts of the race. Every boy at some 


34 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


time has been a pirate, and if in childhood he was 
given a background of stories based on pirates, what 
a happy experience it has been for him. Every girl has 
been a Cinderella or a Gretel and is much richer be¬ 
cause of that fact. 

Stories about nature, the animals about us, or those 
of the forest, all have a definite place in the child’s 
reading life. He learns history, geography, facts of 
science, and many other things while still too young to 
know the meaning of the words. Through stories, the 
ideas are planted in his mind, and he is imbued with 
the desire to know more about these things as he grows 
older, and can search out the truth alone. 

The Bible stories have a distinct use, and nothing 
can take the place of them. No creed or belief can shut 
them out for they are vitally alive today and have been 
through the ages. Tell them to the child in a realistic 
way, and soon those splendid characters will be his 
constant companions. The story of Moses is one that 
will have a decided appeal and will inevitably call forth 
a multitude of questions concerning the baby himself, 
the lady who found him, why he did not know his own 
mother, and many others. 

We should not lose sight of the fact that the daily 
handling of books by the child from infancy is an im¬ 
portant factor in itself which has much to do with ac¬ 
complishing the desired results. If, when books are 
first being read to a child, his interest wanes on the 
pages where there are only black and white drawings, 
color the drawings. Sometimes a little color is the 
charm that changes inattention to keen interest. In 
following the method outlined above, we should also 


THE METHOD 


35 


keep in mind that the child should not be forced in 
any way beyond his own manifested interest. 

Thus, day by day, the baby should be exposed to 
and thoroughly saturated with rhyme, rhythm, color, 
and song in some form or other. We cannot emphasize 
too strongly that this procedure should be followed 
daily. It should be part of a systematic and well-or¬ 
ganized program and by no means a hit-and-miss affair. 
Happy is the adult who is able to find solace and en¬ 
joyment in the companionship of books because of the 
fact that he became acquainted with them in his baby 
days. 













































































. . . For childhood is a tender thing, and easily 
wrought into any shape. Yea, and the very souls of 
children readily receive the impressions of those things 
that are dropped into them while they are yet but 
soft; but when they grow older they will, as all hard 
things are, be more difficult to be wrought upon. And 
as soft wax is apt to take the stamp of the seal, so are 
the minds of children to receive the instructions im¬ 
printed on them at that age. 


Plutarch 












Fathers as well as mothers find time to use the Mothers’ Room 































CHAPTER FOUR 


THE MOTHERS’ ROOM 

The foregoing chapter is a general summing up of the 
procedure to be followed by any parent. This method is 
the result of our experience with our own son and a 
number of other children whose parents have followed 
this program. 

When our son was born, eighteen years ago, my wife 
and I conceived the idea of instilling in him a real 
and lasting love of books from infancy. As soon as 
he seemed able to hear sounds, we decided to test the 
feasibility of the idea. His mother sang lullabies with 
rhythmic repetitions to him daily. The measured and 
balanced movement of recurring sounds appeared to 
please and sooth him. After several months, such ex¬ 
ercises were introduced as “pat-a-cake,” “eye-winker,” 
and “shoe the old horse.” These he enjoyed and mani¬ 
fested his pleasure by waving his little fists and kicking 
his little feet. Presumably he associated the words and 
their rhythm with the movements, gestures, and voice 
variations of the mother. 

The next step was to show him highly colored pic¬ 
ture books. The pictures arrested his attention and fas¬ 
cinated him, at first temporarily, and later, for longer 
intervals. Toward the end of the first year, he was al¬ 
lowed to handle the book himself with his mother’s 


39 


40 THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 

help. Beginning in earlier months she would, while he 
was being cared for, dressed, and bathed, talk in gentle 
tones about the things she was doing for him, suiting 
the rhythm, when possible, to the action. Also she 
would say jingles and nursery rhymes to him then. 
Long before he manifested and sustained attention to 
words and pictures, nursery rhymes were repeated to 
him over and over. Accordingly he was thoroughly ex¬ 
posed to and saturated with rhyme, rhythm, and song 
and beautiful and fascinating picture books which were 
used interchangeably each day. Still later he was shown 
little picture books which had a rhyme or story of a 
few sentences with each page of pictures. By gentle 
movements and quiet suggestion of the mother, this 
infant learned to handle the book and carefully turn 
its pages. 

While he was getting his bath, or being dressed, 
his mother had a picture book spread open by her side 
and was able to read from it very easily while her 
hands were busy fastening or unfastening his garments. 
Remembering the appropriate rhymes and storiettes, 
she also worked out simple ways of reading to him while 
going about her household tasks when she discovered 
that the child from many readings of the same story 
was able to identify the first word or two on each page 
by its association with the picture. He sat on the floor, 
turning the pages and giving mother her cue. Every 
now and then, he would hold up the book for her to 
see. This was great fun for him, and for mother too, 
causing the time spent in routine tasks to pass very 
quickly. He enjoyed the brief stories and verses so 
much that he insisted on hearing them over and over 


THE MOTHERS’ ROOM 


4i 


again. Gradually the father learned to emulate the 
mother and to share in her program for cultivating a 
love of books and reading in the child. 

It was remarkable what his mother accomplished 
with him during the first two years of his life. This is, 
of course, the strategic age, the time when many 
life-long attitudes and habits are being formed, the 
time when the mother is in closer touch with her little 
one than she can expect to be after he has reached 
school age. 

We did not try to teach him to read. The mechanics 
of reading naturally should not be attempted until the 
child is in school and is ready for it. Neither did we 
attempt to teach him to memorize. We simply wanted 
to give him a reading background. Nevertheless, as he 
grew a little older, he suddenly surprised us by repeat¬ 
ing, word for word, his favorites. Then he tried creat¬ 
ing stories of his own, modeling them somewhat after 
the ones he knew. 

Thus it was we visioned a special room in the Pub¬ 
lic Library for helping other parents effect a like 
procedure for introducing books to their babies, and 
teaching them to love these books—a room with a pro¬ 
gram whereby the mother could be helped to build 
up a background of good reading for her little child. 

For many years the Children’s Room has been an 
established department of every public library. It is 
equipped with small tables and chairs and largely used 
by children of school age. Then why not a Mothers’ 
Room designed for the mother and child to help build 
a background of good books from babyhood? 

The Mothers’ Room would thus serve as the “builder” 


42 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


and “feeder” for the Children’s Room, being the logical 
first unit in the program of the public library. It would 
also serve as the “vestibule” to the entire school pro¬ 
gram. 

The Mothers’ Room in the Youngstown Public Li¬ 
brary is not just another department. The room itself 
is of beauty and distinction,—its early American maple 
furniture upholstered in warm rust, green, and browns, 
its tables and lamps, its Venetian shades and colorful 
draperies—all a departure in library furnishings—lend 
a quiet charm that draws the mother and also the father 
to a thoughtful and leisurely selection from the wealth 
of material at hand. Every effort has been made to 
make it iijformal and home-like. Deep, comfortable 
chairs, davenports, and rugs remove the formal set-up 
of the usual library room, but the walls lined with 
up-to-date publications on child training, child prob¬ 
lems, picture and easy books furnish the inspirational 
bookish atmosphere. Books by standard authors and 
well-known illustrators are available in inexpensive as 
well as the more expensive editions. To this room a 
mother may come and find not only the old favorite 
rhymes, picture books, and poems, that she knew in 
her own childhood and wishes to include in the back¬ 
ground of her little one’s life but also the best books 
on parent education, child care and training. The per¬ 
sonnel of the room has been carefully selected with 
the idea of helping mothers create in their children the 
love of books and reading. 

The best books on parent education, child care and 
training are included in the collection. 

An increasing number of young mothers are coming 


THE MOTHERS’ ROOM 


43 


to this room with their problems of general care and 
training of the baby or young child and are directed to 
the appropriate book, pamphlet, or article. 

Daily it grows more apparent that the program of 
the Mothers’ Room is irrevocably tied up with a broad 
program of systematic study of the infant and young 
child’s nature and needs and his wider family relation¬ 
ships; more apparent, therefore, that the Mothers’ 
Room of the Youngstown Public Library is to be a 
widely used center of its city and county, in parent 
education. 

The project reaches out from the Mothers’ Room to 
all corners of the city in contacts with interested or¬ 
ganizations. The Parent and Teacher’s Council, 
Mothers’ Clubs, Child Study Clubs, and other organi¬ 
zations working in the pre-school field have received 
the undertaking with much enthusiasm. All have been 
embued with the purpose of the program. 


CHAPTER FIVE 


THE CHILD AND HIS LIBRARY 

The idea of ownership is firmly planted in everyone. 
If a mother desires her child to cultivate a love of 
books, she must permit him to have some that belong 
to him alone. They must be his to handle, read, en¬ 
joy, and keep. 

Most children receive books as gifts from time to 
time. Sometimes it happens that a good book is per¬ 
mitted to become a discard simply because the child 
has had no place to keep it. He has read it, but invaria¬ 
bly when he leaves it for a period of time, it has dis¬ 
appeared from sight. Nothing so discourages him as 
to have grown-ups scatter his belongings to the four 
winds, while carefully protecting their own property. 
So we suggest that some thought be given to a place 
for his books if he is to be taught really to love them. 

Every parent should try to give the child a room or 
some section of the home for his own use. Here he 
may go at any time. No one should disturb his pos¬ 
sessions or try to arrange them to suit an adult’s idea of 
orderliness, or balance. Here he may work or play, 
read or sleep, as his desire may be. If he has a hobby 
or hobbies, he may display the result of his efforts. 

Such a room should be light, airy, clean, and plainly 
but comfortably furnished. This is not the place for 
44 


THE CHILD AND HIS LIBRARY 


45 


cast-off, worn-out furniture. We would suggest several 
comfortable chairs, a good reading lamp, a desk, and 
above all, a restful atmosphere. Color in the walls, cur¬ 
tains, pictures, etc., is a valuable item. 

Give the child the idea that a library is a growing 
thing. Plant the seed when he is a baby by buying a 
few worthwhile titles and adding to them at every op¬ 
portunity. Present them in such a way that he will 
welcome them as new friends and companions. Let 
them grow in number as he grows, keeping in mind that 
you are not only meeting his need of today but building 
for the future. You are giving him the necessary tools 
to build a life. 

It is advisable to purchase books by single titles 
rather than sets or series. However, school work will 
require a set of some standard encyclopedia. Choose 
books for their permanent as well as the present value. 
Include standard titles which have stood the test of 
time. As he grows older, let the child choose a title 
for himself occasionally, as this will encourage con¬ 
tinued reading. Public libraries and the better book¬ 
stores have qualified assistants, familiar with the best 
juvenile literature, who are only too glad to advise 
and offer suggestions for the purchase of books. 

Children value books of their own as highly as toys. 
They get much pleasure from building up a collection 
of their own, and years later, may be heard quoting an 
apt phrase or line from some story or poem that was a 
childhood friend. Why not give the child the best mate¬ 
rial for this purpose? 

When choosing books, a mother should consider form 
as well as content. Good illustrations, print, and size 


46 THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 

affect this choice for the little child as well as the older 
one. Large pictures, preferably colored, large print, and 
suitable length of line in regard to eye span, should 
be kept in mind. Tiny hands need a book that is large 
enough to grasp, yet not so big that they become tired 
in holding it. A durable cover such as linenette, or some 
washable material is practical. Many people buy books 
in a haphazard manner, but they should choose them 
wisely and endeavor to buy the best editions possible. 
Parents’ magazines, parent-teacher associations, librar¬ 
ians, book-dealers, are all advocating this today, so that 
there is perhaps more intelligent buying of children’s 
literature than ever before, but there are still many 
books on the market which because of their sameness, 
their lack of literary merit should be avoided by parents 
and others. There are no lovelier gifts for a child than 
good books. They add to the richness and fullness of 
life and instill the one thing that neither wealth nor 
effort can buy —the habit of reading. If the public 
libraries could educate the parent to realize the value 
of book-ownership for children, and the great joy and 
benefits they obtain by having books of their own to 
read and re-read, the battle for instilling the reading 
habit would be half won. 

Children have favorite books as well as toys. While 
they may outgrow these companions, they do not wish to 
part with them because of the memories they hold. 
The little child, grown to manhood, who learned to 
love “The Little Red Hen” in his babyhood, will never 
cease to visualize her when he sees the feathered occu¬ 
pants of the poultry crates at the market. 

It is not necessary to buy all the books desired, as 


THE CHILD AND HIS LIBRARY 


47 


many may be obtained from the public library, and 
lucky is he whose mother has the “library habit” and 
has the children’s librarian help her select books for 
him. 

How many of us who were deprived of the privi¬ 
leges of the beautiful and interesting children’s books 
of our own day wistfully look back to the time when 
one or two titles were cherished as treasures of gold. 
The companionship of those books holds memories as 
dear as family ties. 

Thus, from a small beginning of a few worthwhile 
books will grow the library which in later years will 
serve to steady that child who will then be a man or 
woman. He will have learned to value his own books, 
to want to read more, and to buy others to build up 
his collection. It will be a living thing to him, started 
in his own home, his own room, by his far-seeing and 
wise parents, who believed that when they gave him 
books and encouraged the love of reading they built 
for the future. 











A BOOK AND A CHILD 


By William L. Stidger 

He who gives a child a hook 
Gives that child a sweeping look 
Through its pages 
Down the ages; 

Gives that child a ship to sail 
Where the far adventures hail 
Down the sea 
Of destiny; 

Gives that child a vision, wide 
As the skies where stars abide; 

Clear and bright 
Through the night; 

Gives that child great dreams to dream, 
Sunlit ways that flash and gleam 
Where the sages 
Tramp the ages. 

From I Saw God Wash the World, 
Copyright by the author. 









CHAPTER SIX 


PART ONE 

READING MENU—THE FIRST TWO 
YEARS 

The specific titles listed here are intended merely as ex¬ 
amples of the type of material to be used. Other valua¬ 
ble selections may be found in the books recommended 
in this list. 

Some of this material may seem difficult for the 
child to understand, but if the method as outlined is 
followed from infancy, the child will be interested and 
the selections will not be beyond him. Whenever pos¬ 
sible, it is advisable to purchase the better editions. The 
inexpensive ones, however, some of which we have 
listed, will serve the purpose very well; these the 
mother need not hesitate to place in the child’s own 
hands. 


Lullabies 

Bye, Baby Bunting.—Hovde, Louise: Cradle Book of 
Verse. 

Hush, my baby, go to bed.—To the tune of Ta-ra-ra 
Boom-der-e . 


Si 


52 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Hush, my baby, go to bed 
Mammy will buy you a mocking bird; 

When dat bird can’t play and sing. 

Mammy will buy you a diamond ring. 

When dat ring am turned to brass, 

Mammy will buy you a looking glass; 

When dat glass am old and broke, 

Mammy will buy you a Billy goat. 

When dat goat am old and bony, 

Mammy will buy you a Texas pony; 

When dat pony am old and gray 
Ta-ra-ra-ra boom-de-ay! 

Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top.—Smith, E. S. 
(comp.) : Book of Lullabies. 

Rock-a-bye baby, thy cradle is green.—Smith, E. S. 
(comp.) : Book of Lullabies. 

Sleep, baby, sleep (German Folk Lullaby).—Tileston, 
Mary Wilder: Sugar and Spice. 

So-so-rock-a-bye-so.—Field, Eugene, and Hovde, 
Louise: Cradle Book of Verse. 

Sweet and low.—Tennyson, Alfred Lord, and Grahame, 
K.: Cambridge Book of Poetry for Children. 

Swing, cradle swing.—Cooper, George, and Smith, E. 
S. (comp.) : Book of Lullabies. 


Finger Plays and Action Rhymes 
(The) Bumble-Bee 

There was a bumble-bee that lived in a barn, 
He carried his bag-pipe under his arm; 

He came out and he flew all about, 

And he went buzz—z—z—z—z. 


READING MENU—THE FIRST TWO YEARS 53 


(For last line, point finger and move in zig¬ 
zag fashion through the air, as a bee flies. On last 
word, touch child as though a bee had lighted upon 
him.) 

Dance, Thumbkin, dance.—Wright, Blanche Fisher 
(illus.) : The Real Mother Goose. 

(The) Family. 

(Touch each finger in turn as lines are spoken.) 
This is the father who brings us our bread; 

This is the mother who puts us to bed; 

This is the brother who plays with his ball; 

This is the sister who cuddles her doll; 

This is the baby, the darling of all. 

Here goes my lord a-trot.—Tileston, Mary Wilder: 
Sugar and Spice. 

Here sits the Lord Mayor.—Tileston, Mary Wilder: 
Sugar and Spice. 


Jack-in-the-box. 

(Close the hand with thumb inside.) 

“Jack-in-the-box sits so still. 
Won’t you come out? 

Yes, I will.” 

(Out jumps the thumb.) 

Knock at the door. 


Knock at the door, 
Peep in; 

Lift up the latch, 

And walk in. 

And take a little chair 
Right down there. 


(tap forehead) 

(touch eyes lightly) 

(lift end of nose) 

(point finger in open mouth) 
(tickle neck) 


54 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Pat-a-cake.—Tileston, Mary Wilder: Sugar and 

Spice. 

Ride-a-cock horse.—Tileston, Mary Wilder: Sugar 
and Spice. 

Ten little grasshoppers. 

Ten little grasshoppers sitting on a vine, 

One ate too much green corn and then there were nine; 

Nine little grasshoppers swinging on a gate, 

One fell off and then there were eight. 

Eight little grasshoppers started off to heaven, 

One lost his way and then there were seven. 

Seven little grasshoppers lived between two bricks, 

Along came a wind storm and then there were six. 

Six little grasshoppers found a bee-hive, 

One found a bumble-bee and then there were five. 

Five little grasshoppers playing on the floor, 

Pussycat passed by that way and then there were four. 

Four little grasshoppers saw a green pea, 

They tried to eat it and then there were three; 

Three little grasshoppers longed for pastures new, 

A turkey gobbler saw them and then there were two; 

Two little grasshoppers sitting in the sun, 

A little boy went fishing and then there was one; 

One little grasshopper left all alone, 

He tried to find his brothers and then there was none. 

This little pig went to market.—Tileston, Mary Wilder: 
Sugar and Spice. 


Picture Books 

Clean Peter and the Children of Grubby lea.—Adelborg, 
Ottilia. 

Farm Pets. Four Little Bunnies. Four Little Kittens. 


READING MENU—THE FIRST TWO YEARS 55 

Four Little Puppies.—Actual photographs by Harry 
W.‘ Press. 

Hey-diddle-diddle Picture Book.—Caldecott, Randolph 
Johnny Crow’s Garden.—Brooke, L. Leslie. 

(The) Three Little Kittens.—Gabriel Pub. Co. 


Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes 

Hey-diddle-diddle.—Anderson, Anne (illus.): The 
Old Mother Goose. Wright, Blanche Fisher (illus.) : 
Real Mother Goose. 

Humpty Dumpty.—Anderson, Anne (illus.) : The Old 
Mother Goose. Wright, Blanche Fisher (illus.) : 

Real Mother Goose. 

Jack and Jill.—Anderson, Anne (illus.): The Old 
Mother Goose. Wright, Blanche Fisher (illus.) : Real 
Mother Goose. 

Little Bo-Peep.—Anderson, Anne (illus.) : The Old 
Mother Goose. Wright, Blanche Fisher (illus.): 

Real Mother Goose. 

Little Boy Blue.—Anderson, Anne (illus.) : The Old 

Mother Goose. Wright, Blanche Fisher (illus.): 

Real Mother Goose. 

Old Mother Hubbard.—Anderson, Anne (illus.) : The 
Old Mother Goose. Wright, Blanche Fisher (illus.) : 
Real Mother Goose. 


56 THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater.—Wright, Blanche Fisher 
(illus.) : Real Mother Goose. 

(The) Three Blind Mice. —Anderson, Anne (illus.) : 
The Old Mother Goose. 

Complete version of Ye Three Blind Mice. —Ivimey, 
John. 

Wee Willie Winkie.—Anderson, Anne (illus.) : The 
Old Mother Goose. Wright, Blanche Fisher (illus.) : 
Real Mother Goose. 


Poems 

Baby.—Edgar, M. G.: Treasury of Verse for Little 
Children. 

Baby-bye.— McGuffey’s Second Eclectic Reader. 

Disobedience.—Milne, A. A.: When We Were Very 
Young. 

I Like Little Pussy.—Taylor, Jane, and Tileston, Mary 
Wilder: Sugar and Spice. 

Little Birdie.—Tennyson, Alfred Lord, and Tileston, 
Mary Wilder: Sugar and Spice. 

(The) Moon.—Follen, Eliza Lee, and Grahame, K.: 
Cambridge Book of Poetry for Children. 

Oh, look at the moon 
She is riding so high; 

Oh, Mother, she looks 
Like a lamp in the sky. 


READING MENU—THE FIRST TWO YEARS 57 

Last week she was smaller 
And shaped like a bow; 

But now she is larger, 

And round like an O. 

My Shadow.—Stevenson, Robert Louis: Child’s Gar¬ 
den of Verse. 

Three Little Foxes.—Milne, A. A.: When We Were 
Very Young. 

(The) Three Little Kittens.—Follen, Eliza Lee, and 
Tileston, Mary Wilder: Sugar and Spice. 

Time to Rise.—Stevenson, Robert Louis: Child’s Gar¬ 
den of Verse. 

Twinkle-twinkle Little Star.—Tileston, Mary Wilder: 
Sugar and Spice. 


Fables and Fairy Tales 

(The) Cock, the Mouse and the Little Red Hen .— 
Lefevre, Felicite. 

(The) Hare and the Tortoise.—Scudder, Horace: The 
Children’s Book. 

(The) Lion and the Mouse.—Scudder, Horace: The 
Children’s Book. 

(The) Little Grey Goose. —Lefevre, Felicite. 


58 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Stories 

Across the Cotton Patch. —Credle, Ellis. 

Baby Animals. —Talbot, Ethel. 

Bojabi Tree. —Rickert, Edith. 

Down Down the Mountain. —Credle, Ellis. 

Elisabeth the Cow Ghost. —DuBois, William Pene. 

Four Friends. —Pauli, Grace. 

(The) Gingerbread Boy. —Piper, Watty (ed.). 

I Know a Surprise. —Baruch, Dorothy. 

Jean and Jon Are Six. —Quigg, Jane. 

KarVs Wooden Horse. —Donaldson, Lois. 

Little Black Sambo. —Bannerman, Mrs. Helen. 

(The) Little Old Woman Who Used Her Head .— 
Newell, Hope. 

Little Small Red Hen.—Byron, May: Altemus Wee 
Book. 

Tale of Benjamin Bunny. —Potter, Beatrix. 

Tale of Peter Rabbit. —Potter, Beatrix. 

(The) Three Bears. —Wadsworth, Wallace (ed.). 
(The) Three Little Pigs .—Piper, Watty (ed.). 


READING MENU—FROM TWO TO FIVE YEARS 59 


PART TWO 

READING MENU—FROM TWO TO 
FIVE YEARS 

Picture Books 
ABC Book.— Fall, C. B. 

Alphabet. —Lenski, Lois. 

Angus and the Ducks. —Flack, Marjorie. 

Animal Picture Book. —Batten, H. Mortimer. 

Ask Mr. Bear .—Flack, Marjorie. 

Bible Picture Book. —Chalmers, Muriel (ed.). 

Farm Book. —Smith, E. Boyd. 

Farmer in the Dell. —Hader, Berta and Elmer. 

Golden Goose and the Three Bears. —Brooke, L. Leslie 
(illus.). 

Ola. —Aulaire, Ingri d’ (Mortenson), and Aulaire, 
Edgar Parin d\ 

Pellets New Suit. —Beskow, Elsa. 

Picture Book of Animals. —Lord, Isabel Ely. 

(A) Roundabout Turn. —Charles, Robert H. 


60 THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 

(The) Second Picture Book of Animals. —Lord, Isabel 
Ely. 

Story of Noah's Ark. —Smith, E. Boyd. 

When the Root Children Wake Up. —Olfers, Sibylle 
von. 

Rhymes 

(The) Baby.—Chute, Marchette Gaylord: Rhymes 
about Ourselves. 

Brownie Books (9 v.).—Cox, Palmer. 

Fingers and Toes.—Guiterman, Arthur, Untermeyer, 
Louis, Mammes, Clara and David (ed.) : New Songs 
for New Voices. 

(The) Jumblies.—Lear, Edward: Nonsense Songs. 

(The) Owl and the Pussycat.—Lear, Edward: Non¬ 
sense Songs. 

Presents.—Chute, Marchette Gaylord: Rhymes about 
Ourselves. 


Poems 

(The) Duel.—Field, Eugene: Complete Poems. 

(The) Funniest Thing in the World.—Riley, James 
Whitcomb: Child Rhymes. 

(The) Furry Bear.—Milne, A. A.: Now We Are Six. 

Howdy—Mr. Hop-toad.—Riley, James Whitcomb: 
Child Rhymes. 


READING MENU—FROM TWO TO FIVE YEARS 61 

Kitty. Prentiss, E.: Cambridge Book of Poetry for 
Children. 

Little Boy Blue.—Field, Eugene: Lullaby Land. 

(The) Little Kitty.—Prentiss, E. P., and Tileston, 
Mary Wilder: Sugar and Spice. 

Little Orphant Annie.—Riley, James Whitcomb: Child 
Rhymes. 

(The) Man in the Moon.—Riley, James Whitcomb: 
Child Rhymes. 

Our Hired Girl.—Riley, James Whitcomb: Child 
Rhymes. 

Out to Old Aunt Mary’s.—Riley, James Whitcomb: 
Child Rhymes. 

Pied Piper of Hamelin. —Browning, Robert. 

Raggedy Man.—Riley, James Whitcomb: Child 
Rhymes. 

(The) Snow-Bird’s Song.—Woodworth, F. C., and 
Tileston, Mary Wilder: Sugar and Spice. 

The ground was all covered with snow one day, 

And two little sisters were busy at play, 

When a snow-bird was sitting close by on a tree, 

And merrily singing his chick-a-dee-dee, 

Chick-a-dee-dee, chick-a-dee-dee. 

And merrily singing his chick-a-dee-dee. 

He had not been singing that tune very long 
Ere Emily heard him so loud was his song; 

“Oh, sister, look out of the window.,” said she; 

“Here’s a dear little bird singing chick-a-dee-dee, 


62 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Chick-a-dee-dee, chick-a-dee-dee. 

Here’s a dear little bird singing chick-a-dee-dee. 

“Oh, mother, do get him some stockings and shoes, 

And a nice little frock, and a hat, if he choose; 

I wish he’d come into the parlor and see 

How warm we would make him, poor chick-a-dee-dee, 
Chick-a-dee-dee, chick-a-dee-dee. 

How warm we would make him, poor chick-a-dee-dee.” 

“There is One, my dear child, though I cannot tell who, 

Has clothed me already, and warm enough too; 

Good-morning !—Oh, who are as happy as we ?” 

And away he went singing his chick-a-dee-dee, 
Chick-a-dee-dee, chick-a-dee-dee. 

And away he went singing his chick-a-dee-dee. 

Spider and the Fly.—Howitt, Mary, and Edgar M. G.: 
Treasury of Verse for Little Children. 

Sugar Plum Tree.—Field, Eugene: Lullaby Land. 

’Twas the Night Before Christmas. —Moore, Clem¬ 
ent C. 

Twice Times.—Milne, A. A.: Now We Are Six. 

Wet Weather Talk.—Riley, James Whitcomb: Child 
Rhymes. 

(The) Worm.—Bergengren, Ralph: Jane, Joseph and 
John. 

Wynken, Blynken and Nod.—Field, Eugene: Lullaby 
Land. 


READING MENU—FROM TWO TO FIVE YEARS 63 


Fables and Fairy Tales 

Aladdin.—Ed. by Wiggin and Smith: Tales from the 
Arabian Nights. 

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.—Ed. by Wiggin and 
Smith: Tales from the Arabian Nights. 

Baby's Own Aesop. —Aesop. 

Cinderella.—Scudder, Horace: The Children's Book. 

Hansel and Gretel.—Grimm, Jacob and Karl: Fairy 
Tales. 

(The) History of Tom Thumb.—Scudder, Horace: 
The Children's Book. 

Jack and the Beanstalk.—Scudder, Horace: The Chil¬ 
dren's Book. 

Little Red Riding Hood.—Scudder, Horace: The Chil¬ 
dren's Book. 

Puss-in-boots.—Scudder, Horace: The Children's 
Book. 

(The) Turtle Who Couldn’t Stop Talking.—Babbitt, 
Ellen C. (tr.) : Jataka Tales. 


Stories 

Adventures of Peter and Lotta. —Beskow, Elsa. 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the 
Looking Glass. —Carroll, Lewis. 


6x 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Black Beauty. —Sewell, Anna. 

Black Face. —Bell, Thelma H. 

Beautiful Joe. —Saunders, M. M. 

Charlie and His Kitten, Topsy. —Hill, Helen. 

Charlie and His Puppy, Bingo. —Hill, Helen. 

(The) Country Mouse and the City Mouse.—Bryant, 
Sara Cone: Stories to Tell to Children. 

(The) Deliveryman. —Kuh, Charlotte. 

(The) Education of a Burro. —Hogner, Dorothy and 
Nils. 

(The) Elephant’s Child.—Kipling, Rudyard: Just So 
Stories. 

(The) Engineer. —Kuh, Charlotte. 

Epaminondas and His Auntie.—Bryant, Sara Cone: 
Stories to Tell to Children. 

(The) Fireman. —Kuh, Charlotte. 

(The) First Circus. —Piper, Watty (ed.). 

Henny Penny or Chicken Licken.—Scudder, Horace: 
Book of Folk Stories. 

Johnny Penguin. —Bryan, Dorothy and Marguerite. 
Kees. —King, Marian. 

(The) Little Engine that Could. —Piper, Watty (ed.). 
Little Jeernes Henry —Credle, Ellis. 


READING MENU—FROM TWO TO FIVE YEARS 65 
Miki. —Petersham, Maud and Miska. 

(The) Motorman. —Kuh, Charlotte. 

Picture Book of Flying. —Dobias, Frank. 

Pinocchio. —Lorenzini, Carlo (pseud. Collodi). 

(The) Policeman. —Kuh, Charlotte. 

Poppy Seed Cakes. —Clark, Marjorie. 

(The) Postman. —Kuh, Charlotte. 

Robinson Crusoe. —Defoe, D. 

Runzel, Punzel. —Donaldson, Lois. 

Story about Ping. —Flack, Marjorie. 

(The) Story of Mrs. Tubbs .—Lofting, Hugh. 

(The) Tail of the Sorry Sorrel Horse .—Honness, 
Elizabeth. 

Timbertoes. —Aldredge, Edna M., and McFee, Jessie S. 

Tim Tadpole and the Great Bullfrog. —Flack, Mar¬ 
jorie. 

Tooky. —Hader, Berta and Elmer. 

(The) Twins and Tabiffa. —Heward, Constance. 
Velveteen Rabbit. —Bianco, Margery W. 


CHAPTER SEVEN 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED 
MATERIAL 

Lullabies 

Grahame, Kenneth 

Cambridge Book of Poetry for Children. Putnam. 
$2.50. 

Hovde, Louise 

Cradle Book of Verse. Doran. $3.00. 

A collection of lullabies and baby poetry 

Moffat, A. E. 

Our Old Nursery Rhymes. McKay. $3.00. 

A book of nursery rhymes set to music and charm¬ 
ingly illustrated. Contains all the old favorites. 

Smith, E. S. (comp.) 

Book of Lullabies. Lothrop. $2.50. 

A wide variety of lullabies including selections from 
different parts of the world. 

Finger Plays and Action Rhymes 
Hall, Mary Leora, and Palmer, Sarah Elizabeth 
66 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 67 

Story Plays for Little Children with Music, Finger 
Plays and Rhythms. Lothrop, $1.50. 

Poulsson, Emilie 

Finger Plays for Nursery and Kindergarten, Loth¬ 
rop. $1.50. 

Tileston, M. W. 

Sugar and Spice and All That's Nice. Little. $2.50. 

Wright, B. F. (illus.) 

Real Mother Goose. Rand. $2.00. 


Picture Books 

Adelborg, Ottilia 

Clean Peter and the Children of Grubbylea. Long¬ 
mans. $1.50. 

Amusing pictures with lilting verses describe how 
Clean Peter scrubs all the dirty children in Grubbylea. 

Aulaire, Ingri and E. P. d’ 

Ola. Doubleday. $2.00. 

A' modern story with colorful drawings depicting 
Norwegian life through Ola's travels and adventures. 

Batten, H. Mortimer 
Animal Picture Book. Nelson. $3.00. 

Beskow, Elsa 

Pelle’s New Suit. Harper. $1.50. Platt. $0.60. 

The story of Pelle and how he earned a new suit of 
clothes made from the wool of Pelle’s own lamb. 


68 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Brooke, L. L. (illus.) 

Golden Goose and the Three Bears. Warne. $2.00. 

Two favorite fairy tales with Brooke’s inimitable 
illustrations. The child’s appreciation of art and humor 
is quickened by his portrayal of animals. He has also 
illustrated several other old nursery tales. 

Brooke, L. L. (illus.) 

Johnny Crow’s Garden. Warne. $1.75. 

Humorous illustrations of the happenings in Johnny 
Crow’s garden. A delightful “funny” book. 

Caldecott, Randolph 

Hey Diddle Diddle Picture Book. Warne. $2.25. 

Every child’s library should contain at least one of 
these classics of which there are several. This includes 
The milkmaid, Baby Bunting, A frog he would a-woo- 
ing go, and The fox jumps over the parson’s gate. 

Chalmers, Muriel (ed.) 

Bible Picture Book. Nelson. $3.50. 

Chares, R. H. 

A Roundabout Turn. Warne. $1.50. 

A rhymed account of a toad’s desire to see the 
world which he has heard was round. A ride on the 
merry-go-round satisfied him. The Brooke illustrations 
suit it perfectly. 

Crane, Walter 

Old Mother Hubbard Picture Book. Dodd. $1.50. 

Donaldson, Lois 

In the Mouse’s House. Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 00 . 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 69 
Falls, C. B. 

ABC Book. Doubleday. $2.00. 

Flack, Marjorie 

Angus and the Ducks. Doubleday. $1.00. 

Flack, Marjorie 

Ask Mr. Bear. Macmillan. $1.00. 

Frees, H. W. 

Farm Pets. Rand. $0.10. 

Four Little Bunnies. Rand. $0.10. 

Four Little Kittens. Rand. $0.10. 

Four Little Puppies. Rand. $0.10. 

Hader, Berta and Elmer 
Farmer in the Dell. Macmillan. $2.50. 

This is a description of life on the small farm dur¬ 
ing the different seasons. The labors and amusements 
are told in a few words. There is an attractive illus¬ 
tration on every page. 

Ivimey, J. W. 

Three Blind Mice. Warne. $1.00. 

Lenski, Lois . 

Alphabet People. Harper. $2.50. 

Lindman, Maj 

Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and the Red Shoes. Albert 
Whitman. $ 1 . 00 . 

Lord, I. E. 

Picture Book of Animals. Macmillan. $2.50. 

This collection of excellent photographs of wild 
and domestic animals and birds from all parts of the 
world is of educational value to all children. 


70 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Lord, I. E. 

Second Picture Book of Animals. Macmillan. $2.50. 

This includes pictures of the more familiar domestic 
animals. 

Olfers, Sibylle von 

When the Root Children Wake Up. Stokes. $1.50. 

This is the story of the flowers and plants from the 
time they are awakened by the Earth Mother in the 
spring until they hurry back to her for shelter in the 
fall. The illustrations are charming. 

Sewell, Helen 

ABC for Everyday. Macmillan. $1.50. 

Smith, E. B. 

Farm Book. Houghton. $3.00. 

An educational and colorful picture book of farm 
life. 

Smith, E. B. 

Story of Noah's Ark. Houghton. $3.00. 

Amusing story of the animals at the flood. 

Three Little Kittens. Linen, No. 753. Platt. $0.60. Lin- 

nette. Gabriel. $0.60. 


Rhymes 

Anderson, Anne (illus.) 

Old Mother Goose . Nelson. $1.00. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 71 
Chute, M. G. 

Rhymes about Ourselves. Macmillan. $1.50. 

A collection of short poems suitable for very young 
children. There is plenty of rhythm and the subjects 
are familiar to little folk. 

Cox, Palmer 

Brownie Books (9 v.). Century. $1.75 ea. 

The adventures of the Brownies told in rhyme, with 
each book well illustrated. Humor will appeal to the 
children. 


Hader, Berta and Elmer 
Mother Goose Picture Book. Coward. $3.50. 


Headland, I. T. 

Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes. Revell. $1.75. 

An-excellent collection of rhymes set to music. The 
music is based upon Chinese themes by Bainbridge 
Crist and the translations from the Chinese are by 
Isaac Taylor Headland of Peking University. 


Ivimey, J. W. 

Three Blind Mice. Warne. $1.00. 


A rollicking version of the old tale, whimsically 
illustrated in colors and black and white. 


Lear, Edward 

Nonsense Songs. Warne. $3.00. 


Humorous verse full of rhythm. 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Moffat, Alfred Edward 

Our Old Nursery Rhymes. McKay. $3.00. 

Neidlinger, W. H. 

Small Songs for Small Singers. Schirmer. $1.00. 

Old rhymes set to music. 

Tileston, M. W. 

Sugar and Spice and All That's Nice. Little. $2.50. 

A collection of rhymes and verses a few of which 
are suited to the little child, but most are for the older 
group. 

Untermeyer and Mannes (eds.) 

New Songs for New Voices. Harcourt. $5.00. 

An excellent collection of rhymes set to music. 

Welsh, Charles (comp.) 

Rhymes from Mother Goose. Heath. $0.76. 

A book of familiar nursery rhymes which includes 
finger plays and is of particular interest to small chil¬ 
dren. An inexpensive edition, not illustrated in color, 
but convenient for the parent to use with a child. 

Wright, B. F. (illus.) 

Real Mother Goose. Rand. $2.00. Rand. $0.10. 

The large illustrations in their bright colors make 
these books especially attractive for the younger chil¬ 
dren. 


Poetry 


Bergengren, Ralph 
Jane, Joseph and John. Little. $2.00. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 73 

Rhymes of three children by themselves telling what 
they did and thought. Attractively illustrated in color. 

Browning, Robert 

Pied Piper of Hamelin. McCracken illus. in color. 

Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 00 . 

Browning, Robert 

Pied Piper, retold by W. C. Wadsworth. Rand. $0.10. 

The old story of the children who followed the Piper 
and never returned. 

De La Mare, Walter 

A Child's Day. Holt. $1.75. 

Humorous verses about events in the day of a little 
girl’s life. 

Edgar, M. G. 

Treasury of Verse for Little Children. Crowell. 

$1.50. 

Field, Eugene 

Lullaby Land. Scribner. $1.75. 

A collection of poems full of delightful nonsense and 
delicate fancy which will appeal to imaginative chil¬ 
dren and tend to stimulate the imagination of the 
realistic child. 

Fyleman, Rose 

Fairies and Chimneys. Doubleday. $1.25. 

Light, gay poems which seem to have captured the 
spirit of childhood. 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


74 

Grahame, Kenneth 

Cambridge Book of Poetry for Children. Putnam. 
$2.50. 

Greenaway, Kate 
Marigold Garden. Warne. $2.50. 

McGuffey, W. H. 

Second Eclectic Reader. American Book. $0.48. 
Milne, A. A. 

Now We Are Six. Dutton. $2.00. 

Poems which appeal to all children. 

Milne, A. A. 

When We Were Very Young. Dutton. $2.00. 

Poems for younger children; enjoyable for the 
rhythm. 

Moore, C. C. 

’Twas the Night Before Christmas. Houghton. $1.00. 

The well-known poem, attractively illustrated by 
Jessie Wilcox Smith. 

Riley, J. W. 

Child Rhymes. Bobbs. $1.00. 

Poems about nature and children which are excellent 
for reading aloud. 

Stevenson, R. L. 

Child's Garden of Verse. Scribner. $1.50. Rand. 
$0.60. Rand. $0.10. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 75 

These poems are a necessary and welcome part of 
every child’s poetic background. 

Tileston, M. W. 

Sugar and Spice and All That’s Nice. Little. $2.50. 


Fables and Fairy Tales 


Aesop 

Baby’s Own Aesop. Warne. $1.50. 


Rhymed fables with humorous illustrations. 


Aesop 

The Herford Aesop. Ginn. $0.52. 

A rhymed and comic interpretation of Aesop’s fables. 

Andersen, H. C. 

Fairy Tales. Lippincott. $2.50. 

Contains thirty-four tales of interest to younger 
children. 

Babbitt, E. C. (tr.) 

Jataka Tales. Century. $1.25. 

Animal stories of Hindu folklore, as clear and sim¬ 
ple as Aesop, with a high ethical value. 

Deming, Edwin 

Children of the Wild. Stokes. $1.75. 

Indian folklore clearly told. There are several “why” 
stories and other stories of animals showing their 
cleverness and helpfulness. Colorful illustrations. 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


76 

Grimm, Jacob and Karl 

Fairy Tales. Rand. $1.00. 

A’ collection of Grimm suitable for older children. 
These old tales will require careful retelling by the 
mother. 

Lefevre, Felicite 

The Cock, the Mouse and the Little Red Hen. 
Macrae. $1.00. 

A perennial favorite with the children who delight 
in its repetition. 

Lefevre, Felicite 

The Little Grey Goose. Macrae. $1.00. 

A cumulative story of the little white duck who lost 
her yellow shoes and stockings. 

Scudder, H. E. 

Children's Book. Houghton. $4.00. 

Turpin, Edna 

Classic Fables. Merrill. $0.60. 

Most of the fables are from Aesop; some are of 
later date; all are classics. The language is very simple 
and clear. 


Stories 

Aldredge, Edna M., and McKee, Jessie S. 

Timbertoes. Harter. $0.80. 

The story of a little wooden man and his family 
who live in a wooden world where boys can’t go swim¬ 
ming for fear of warping. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 77 

Bannerman, Mrs. Helen 

Little Black Sambo. Stokes. $ 0 . 50 . Platt. $ 0 . 60 . 

Albert Whitman. $ 0 . 65 . 

Little Black Sambo is a story the youngest child 
will enjoy and soon learn to repeat. 

Beskow, Elsa 

Adventures of Peter and Lotta. Harper. $2.50. 

The everyday adventures of Peter and Lotta will 
hold the interest of the children, and they will enjoy 
the illustrations by the author. 

Bell, T. H. 

Black Face. Doubleday. $1.50. 

The story of the experience of a little black-faced 
lamb who rode into town on the cowcatcher of a train. 
Quaint colorful illustrations. 


Bianco, Margery W. 

Good Friends. Viking. $1.75. 


Bianco, Margery W. 

Velveteen Rabbit. Doubleday. $1.00. 

A toy velveteen rabbit becomes real because the 
boy loved him and said he was real. 

Bryan, Dorothy and Marguerite 
Johnny Penguin. Doubleday. $1.00. 

Bryan, Dorothy and Marguerite 
There Was Tammie. Dodd. $1.00. 


78 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


The adventures of a scotty dog who had been left 
out of the plans for a family picnic but arrives just 
in time. 


Bryant, S. C. 

Stories to Tell to Children. Houghton. $2.00. 

Byron, May 

Little Small Red Hen. Altemus. $0.50. 

Carroll, Lewis 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the 
Looking Glass. Appleton. $2.50. 

Chalmers, Muriel 

Farmer and His Field. Nelson. $0.25. 

Hosanna to the King. Nelson. $0.25. 

Jesus, Friend of Little Children. Nelson. $0.25. 

The Lost Coin. Nelson. $0.25. 

The Noble Man's Son. Nelson. $0.25. 

The Shepherd and His Sheep. Nelson. $0.25. 

Baby Moses. Nelson. $0.25. 

Isaac of the Tents. Nelson. $0.25. 

The Song the Shepherds Heard. Nelson. $0.25. 

The Star of the King. Nelson. $0.25. 

When Jesus Was a Baby. Nelson. $0.25. 

Lovely little books with charming text and color 
illustrations. 

Clark, Margery 

Poppy Seed Cakes. Doubleday. $2.00. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 79 

Attractive story book of Russia which tells about 
Erminka, Andrewshek, and Auntie Katushka and the 
poppy seed cakes. The pictures are by the Petershams. 

Credle, Ellis 

Across the Cotton Patch. Nelson. $1.50. 

Down Down the Mountain. Nelson. $2.00. 

Little Jeemes Henry. Nelson. $1.50. 

Unusual picture-story books of the North Carolina 
Mountains and of the South. Authentic American 
material. 

Defoe, Daniel 

Robinson Crusoe. Altemus. $0.50. 

Dobias, Frank 

Picture Book of Flying. Macmillan. $2.00. 

The pictures show the development of flying from 
the earliest times to the present. A brief story is writ¬ 
ten for each picture. 

Donaldson, Lois 

Karl's Wooden Horse. Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 00 . 

A very well-illustrated story of Karl, a little Swedish 
boy who has an unusual wooden horse. 

Donaldson, Lois 

Runzel Punzel. Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 00 . 


Du Bois, William Pene 
Elisabeth the Ghost Cow. Nelson. $0.75. 

A humorous picture book of Switzerland and a 
gentle cow. 


80 THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 

Flack, Marjorie 

Story about Ping. Viking. $1.00. 

Ping is a Chinese duck who lives on a houseboat on 
the Yangtze River. The illustrations and his adven¬ 
tures make this book popular. 

Tim Tadpole and the Great Bullfrog. Doubleday. 
$1.00. 

A’ well-told story with excellent illustrations of the 
development of a tadpole into a frog. 

Topsy. Doubleday. $1.00. 

Topsy is a spaniel puppy who knows a good friend 
when he sees her, even through a shop window. After 
many adventures Topsy finally becomes Judy’s little 
dog. 

Wait for William. Houghton. $1.25. 

A merry picture story in which William is left be¬ 
hind because he must tie his shoes just right and ends 
by riding the elephant in the circus parade which all 
the children have gone to see. 

Gay, Romney 

Cinder. Grosset. $0.50. 

The search for Cinder, a little black kitten, whom 
Sue and Toby forgot to tuck into her basket one night, 
ended most surprisingly. 

The Funny Noise. Grosset. $0.50. 

A delightful story in which Sue and Toby are puzzled 
by a funny noise which they have difficulty in locating. 

Hader, Berta and Elmer 

Tooky. Longmans. $1.25. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 81 


Tooky was a seal who became the pet of an Eskimo 
boy and was bought later by a man who trained him 
to lead a band of seals in a circus. 


Heward, Constance 

The Twins and Tabiffa. Macrae. $1.50. 


Tabiffa is a cat belonging to the twins who prized 
her more than ever when she saved the house from 
burning. 


Hill, Helen 

Charlie and His Kitten, Topsy. Macmillan. $1.00. 

Charlie, aged five, has many adventures with his 
animal pets. A sequel “Charlie and his pupoy, Bingo” 
is also a favorite with children. 


Hogan, Inez 

The Bear Twins . Dutton. $1.00. 

Johnny and Jimmie, little twin bears decided they 
were big enough to go into the forest by themselves. 
Their adventures there made them glad to get back 
to their home. 


Hogner, Dorothy and Nils 

The Education of a Burro. Nelson. $1.00. 

Real Mexican life and an amusing story and pictures. 


Honness, Elizabeth 

The Tail of the Sorry Sorrel Horse. Nelson. $1.25. 

Pictures and story about James, a sorrel horse, who 
was justly proud of his tail. 


82 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Hurcum, Ambrosina. 

Sooty, An Aristocratic Cat. Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 00 . 

Sooty, a coal black kitten, after being rescued from 
a tall tree, finally finds the kind of home in which 
she can be happy. 

Hurlburt, J. L. 

Story of the Bible. Winston. $2.00. 

King, Marian 

Kees. Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 50 . 

The adventures of Kees, a little Dutch boy. 

Kipling, Rudyard 

Just So Stories: The Elephant’s Child. Garden City. 
$1.00. 

Kuh, Charlotte 

Deliveryman. Macmillan. $0.25. 

Engineer. Macmillan. $0.25. 

Fireman. Macmillan. $0.25. 

Motorman. Macmillan. $0.25. 

Policeman. Macmillan. $0.25. 

Postman. Macmillan. $0.25. 

Interesting picture books for children about the 
various people who form a part of everyday life. 

Lenski, Lois 

Little Auto. Oxford. $0.75. 

Little Baby Ann. Oxford. $1.00. 

Lofting, Hugh 

Story of Mrs. Tubbs. Stokes. $1.25. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 83 

This humor story with its amusing pictures has 
ethical value in that it teaches kindness to animals. 

Lorenzini, Carlo 

Pinocchio. Lippincott. $1.00. 

An Italian story of a little wooden doll which be¬ 
comes a real boy. He has a very prominent nose which 
grows when he’s bad and shrinks when he’s good. 

Mulock, D. M. 

Adventures of a Brownie. Macmillan. $1.00. 

Newell, Hope 

Little Old Woman Who Used Her Head. Nelson. 
$1.00. 

Very funny stories to read aloud. 

Olcott, F. J. 

Bible Stories to Read and Tell. Houghton. $2.50. 

The King James version of the Old Testament has 
been used for the source of these stories. The editor 
has retained the Biblical style, changing only those 
words which children could not understand. This col¬ 
lection may be used also with the younger children. 

Pauli, Grace 

Four Friends. Grosset. $0.50. 

Sport MacAllister and Mr. Soak, two little boys, 
had two good friends, Imso Grand, a rooster, and 
Charlie Waddle, a duck. Their adventures together 
interest the tiniest readers. 

Petersham, Maud and Miska 

The Christ Child. Doubleday. $2.00. 

Miki. Doubleday. $2.00. 





































































































* 

















' * 

















































SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 85 
Smith, E. B. 

Farm Book. Houghton. $3.00. 

Educational and colorful picture book of farm life. 
Other titles by the same author include Seashore Book, 
Railroad Book, Chicken World, and others of interest 
to children. 

Saunders, M. M. 

Beautiful Joe. Burt. $0.75. 

Sewell, Anna 

Black Beauty. Grosset. $0.50. 

Talbot, Ethel 

Baby Animals. Nelson. $1.50. 

Wadsworth, Wallace (ed.) 

The Three Bears. Rand. $0.10. 

Wiggin and Smith (eds.) 

Tales from the Arabian Nights (Aladdin; Ali Baba 
and the Forty Thieves). Scribner. $2.50. 


86 THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Supplementary List of Contemporary Material 
which should be of help to the parent in 
instilling the love of books and reading 
from babyhood 

The First Two Years 


Bertail, Inez 

Time for Bed. Doubleday. $ 0 . 50 . 

The end of Tony’s day; his bath, supper and 
bed-time. 

Burdekin, Harold 
A Child's Grace. Dutton. $ 1 . 50 . 

A picture book of thanks, simply, reverently 
told. 

Dentler, Mame, and Fenner, Frank, Jr. 

Time to Eat. Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 00 . 

Photographs of things familiar to a child. 
Elliott, Blanche 

Timothy Titus. Doubleday. $ 0 . 50 . 

The rhythm of this delightful picture-story 
makes it exceptional material for the tiny folk. 

Evers, Helen and Alf. 

Little Goosie Gosling. Farrar. $ 0 . 75 . 

Story of a goose and his proud parents. 

Evers, Helen and Alf. 

A Little Lamb. Farrar. $ 0 . 75 . 

The story of a happy little lamb who some¬ 
times got into trouble. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 87 


Evers, Helen and Alf. 

This Little Pig. Farrar. $ 1 . 00 . 

This little pig didn’t like his curly tail. 

Evers, Helen and Alf. 

The Plump Pig. Rand. $ 0 . 50 . 

The story of a pig, who did not want to be 
plump. 

Flack, Marjorie 

Angus and the Cat. Doubleday. $ 1 . 00 . 

Children are delighted with this cat and dog 
story. 

Gay, Romney 

Toby and Sue. Grosset. $ 0 . 50 . 

Toby, Sue, Cinder and Chalky spend a summer 
in the country. 

Greer, Mary B. 

Fun and Health. Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 00 . 

A book of games and songs for fun and health. 

Hartell, John Anthony 

Over in the Meadow. Harper. $ 2 . 00 . 

Especially attractive pictures with variations of 
an old nursery rhyme. 

Keeler, Katherine S. 

Today with Dede. Nelson. $ 0 . 50 . 

Dede spends the day doing just what Mother 
does. 

Keeler, Katherine S. 

Today with Tommy. Nelson. $ 0 . 50 . 

Tommy, Tags and Tra-la-la tell what they do 
in one day. 


88 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Lenski, Lois 

The Little Family. Doubleday. $ 0 . 50 . 

A little book about a little family. 

Martin, Mary Steichen 

The First Picture Book. Harcourt. $ 2 . 00 . 
Photographs of the infant’s familiar world. 

Mitchell, Lucy Sprague, ed. 

Another Here and Now Story Book . Dutton. 
$ 2 . 00 . 

A collection of rhymes and stories about things 
interesting to the small child. 

Mitchell, Lucy Sprague 
Here and Now Story Book. Dutton. $ 1 . 00 . 

Graded stories of the child’s own environment, 
with suggestions for parents on reading for young 
children. 

Newberry, Clare 

Cousin Toby. Harper. $ 1 . 50 . 

Jill and Gordon go for a visit and when they 
come back home they find a baby brother has come 
to live with them. 

Nichols, Ruth A. 

Babies. Macmillan. $ 1 . 50 . 

Pictures by a world-famous photographer of 
children. 

Pyne, Mabel 

From Morning to Night. Stokes. $ 1 . 25 . 

Simple pictures portray a baby’s day. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 89 


Sumner, Florence Gillette 
Let's Play with Fingers. Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 50 . 

Some old and some new finger plays illustrated 
by pictures interesting to the little child. 

Towsley, Lena 

Peggy and Peter; What They Did Today. Far¬ 
rar. $ 2 . 50 . 

Excellent photographs show the daily lives of 
these two children. 

Towsley, Lena 

Sally and Her Friends; How They Played with 
Peggy and Peter. Farrar. $ 2 . 50 . 

Two children and their pets in a very short story 
and excellent photographs. 

Walker, F. Marion 

The Little Red Chair. Macmillan. $ 1 . 75 . 

Everyday doings of very little folk in a col¬ 
lection of stories and pictures. 

Wratten, Harriet 

Jo Anne Lives Here. Albert Whitman. $ 1 . 50 . 

A simple story of a little girl’s day. 


From Two to Five Years 
Aldis, Dorothy 

Everything and Anything. Minton. $ 2 . 00 . 

Here, There and Everywhere. Minton. $ 2 . 00 . 

Poems that tell of some of the outstanding ad¬ 
ventures of childhood. 


90 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Aldredge, Edna M., and McKee, Jessie F. 

Wags and Woo fie. Ginn. $ 0 . 64 . 

The amusing story of the antics of two small 
puppies. 

Association for Childhood Education. Literature 

Committee 

Sung Under the Silver Umbrella. Macmillan. 

$ 2 . 00 . 

Gay poems, with an appeal to children of pre¬ 
school age through third grade. 

Association for Childhood Education. Literature 

Committee 

Told Under the Blue Umbrella. Macmillan. $ 2 . 00 . 

A collection of 37 stories about child life told 
for small children with fine illustrations. 

Association for Childhood Education. Literature 

Committee 

Told Under the Green Umbrella. Macmillan. 
$ 3 . 00 . 

A collection of stories, most of which are folk 
tales. 

Baker, Edna Dean 

A Child Is Born. Whitman Publishing Co. $ 0 . 75 . 

A story of the Nativity, simplified for the very 
young child. 

Bannerman, Helen 

Sambo and the Twins. Stokes. $ 1 . 00 . 

A favorite character, Little Black Sambo, in a 
new adventure. 

Barrows, Marjorie 

Organ Grinder’s Garden. Rand. $ 1 . 00 . 

A collection of verses by an author with a real 
understanding of a child’s fancies. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 91 


Baruch, Dorothy 

I Like Machinery. Harper. $ 0 . 75 . 

Verses for the small child who shows evidence 
of being mechanically inclined. 

Beebe, Catherine 

Just Around the Corner. Oxford. $ 1 . 25 . 

Mother, Father, Sister and Brother set out to 
find the signs of spring so familiar to all of us. 

Beskow, Elsa 

The Tale of the Wee Little Old Woman. Harper. 
$ 1 . 25 . 

A simple story, written for very young children, 
about an old woman and her cat. 

Boesel, Anne Sterling 

Sing and Sing Again. Oxford. $ 2 . 50 . 

A new style of story set to music with delicate 
charm in the accompanying pictures. 

Bracker, Charles 

Chester. Messner. $ 2 . 50 . 

Large colored pictures bring this lovable dog 
through the flower garden to you. 

Brann, Esther 

Another New Year with Bobbie and Donnie. 

Macmillan. $ 1 . 00 . 

A story of playtime with the twins, month by 
month throughout the year. 

Brann, Esther 

Bobbie and Donnie Were Twins. Macmillan. 

$ 1 . 00 . 

An interesting story about three-year-old twins 
and a birthday celebration. 


92 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Brate, Charlotte 

The Pony Tree. Stokes. $ 1 . 75 . 

A tale of the experiences of the Joy family. 

Brock, Emma L. 

One Little Indian Boy. Knopf. $ 1 . 50 . 

The adventures of a little Indian boy who runs 
away from home. 

Brunhoff, Jean de 

Story of Babar. Smith. $ 3 . 00 . 

An extremely humorous story about an ele¬ 
phant, with an appeal to all ages. 

Bryan, Dorothy and Marguerite 

Friendly Little Jonathan. Dodd. $ 1 . 00 . 

Jonathan is one of the most ingratiating little 
Sealyhams to appear in children’s stories. 

Bryan, Dorothy 

Frisky Finding a Home. Dodd. $ 0 . 50 . 

Frisky gets into as much mischief as one can 
expect from a puppy. 

Bryan, Dorothy and Marguerite 

Michael Who Missed His Train. Doubleday. 

$ 1 . 00 . 

An entertaining story of an intelligent dog. 
Carroll, Ruth 

Bounce and the Bunnies. Reynal. $ 1 . 25 . 

A dog’s curiosity leads him to a rabbit’s home 
where his rapid growth becomes a problem. 

Coleman, Satis, and Thorn, A. G. 

Singing Time. John Day. $ 2 . 50 . 

Songs, so short and simple that they are suitable 
for the toddlers. Drawings for each song add to 
the book’s beauty. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 93 


De Angeli, Marguerite 

Ted and Nina Go to the Grocery Store. Double¬ 
day. $ 0 . 50 . 

An ordinary errand, in story form, with atten¬ 
tion to detail for the small child. 

Donaldson, Lois 

Smoky, the Lively Locomotive. Albert Whit¬ 
man. $1.00. 

A story of a lively locomotive whose front axle 
hurt him. 

Ets, Marie Hall 

Mister Penny. Viking. $ 1 . 00 . 

A delightful story of the animals who try to 
make life easier for Mister Penny, their master. 

Evers, Helen and Alf. 

The Merry Mouse. Farrar. $ 0 . 75 . 

This little mouse is left all alone in the house 
where he lived—what he did to keep from being 
lonely is part of the story. 

Flack, Marjorie 

The Restless Robin. Houghton. $ 1 . 50 . 

An especially well-written story of the robins* 
trip north. 

Flack, Marjorie 

What to Do About Molly. Houghton. $ 1 . 00 . 

Molly goes fishing with her brother. When the 
clock in the steeple says it’s time to go home— 
Molly has the fish. 

Flack, Marjorie 

William and His Kitten. Houghton. $ 1 . 00 . 

William found a kitten. How he came to keep 
it adds an interesting touch to a familiar situation. 


94 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Flack, Marjorie 

Willy Nilly. Macmillan. $ 1 . 00 . 

Interesting pictures tell the story of a penguin 
who wanted to be different. 

Freeman, Ruth and Harrop A. 

Chips and Little Chips. Albert Whitman. $ 0 . 75 . 
The story of a carpenter and his little helper. 

Gag, Wanda 

Millions of Cats. Coward. $ 1 . 50 . 

The story of what happens when the kind old 
man brings home millions of cats. 

Gramatky, Hardie 

Little Toot. Putnam. $ 1 . 50 . 

Little Toot is a frivolous little tugboat who 
proves he can do a good job. 

Garbutt, Katharine 

Timothy. Oxford. $ 1 . 00 . 

A simple story of the fawn and other wild 
animals. 

Hader, Berta and Elmer 

Cock-a-Doodle-Doo. Macmillan. $ 2 . 00 . 

The story of a little chick who came out of an 
egg in a duck’s nest. Excellent pictures help to 
tell this delightful story. 

Hardwick, Marjory Taylor 
On the Road. Grosset. $ 0 . 25 . 

Rhymes about trucks, tractors and trains with 
factual information for the modern child. 

Harper, Wilhelmina 

The Gunniwolf and Other Merry Tales. McKay. 

$ 2 . 00 . 

Beautifully illustrated collection of tales. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 95 


Heyneman, Anne 

William Wigglewhistle. Scribner. $1.50. 

While William is hunting for his dog, he en¬ 
counters a butcher, a laundress, a giraffe, a seal, 
and a lion. 

Heyward, DuBose 

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes. 

Houghton. $1.50. 

An Easter story, delightfully told, beautifully 
illustrated. 

Hill, Mabel Betsy 

Big, Little, Smaller and Least. Stokes. $1.25. 

An interesting story of four little sisters and 
their pets. 

Hills, Verna 

Here Comes Peter. Lothrop. $1.50. 

The story of a five-year-old boy and his doings 
throughout the year. 

Hogan, Inez 

Elephant Twins. Dutton. $1.00. 

An interesting story of the twin who ran away 
and the twin who tried to find him. 

Hogan, Inez 

Kangaroo Twins. Dutton. $1.00. 

Another of the delightful stories of the twins 
who are in and out of trouble. 

Hogan, Inez 

Nicodemus and The Gang. Dutton. $1.00. 

An amusing story in Negro dialect that tells of 
the antics of Nicodemus, Petunia and the rest of 
the gang. 


96 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Hogan, Inez 

Twin Kids. Dutton. $1.00. 

A clever story in which the twin kids decide to 
become pets. 

Horn, Madeline D. 

Farm on the Hill. Scribner. $2.00. 

Stories of the farm with illustrations by Grant 
Wood. 

Huntington, Harriet 

Let's Go Outdoors. Doubleday. $2.00. 

A book of insects and other tiny creatures, with 
especially fine photographs. 

Lathrop, Dorothy 

Hide and Seek. Macmillan. $1.50. 

A nature story book to be read for real enjoy¬ 
ment, to be treasured for the illustrations by this 
gifted artist. 

Lathrop, Dorothy 

Who Goes There? Macmillan. $1.50. 

Two children plan a winter picnic in the woods 
for the animals. 


Leaf, Munro 
Fair Play. Stokes. $1.50. 

Simple lessons in citizenship for children. 

Leaf, Munro 

Grammar Can Be Fun. Stokes. $1.25. 

Rules of grammar illustrated in the cartoon style 
of this artist. 


Leaf, Munro 

Manners Can Be Fun. Stokes. $1.25. 
Manners taught in a humorous way. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 97 


Leaf, Munro 

Story of Ferdinand. Viking. $1.00. 

Amusing story of a bull who wouldn’t fight. 
Lenski, Lois 

Sugar-Plum House. Harper. $1.00. 

The story tells what happens when Timmy, the 
puppy, comes to live at Sugar-Plum House. 

Lilienthal, Sophie 

Sails, Wheels and Wings. Grosset. $0.50. 

Factual stories about “things that go.” 
Lindman, Maj 

Flicka, Rieka, Dicka, and the New Dotted 
Dresses. Albert Whitman. $1.00. 

Three little girls as delightful as their prede¬ 
cessors, Snipp, Snapp and Snurr. 

Lindman, Maj 

Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and the Magic Horse. Al¬ 
bert Whitman. $1.00. 

A delightful story of three Swedish boys and a 
rocking-horse. 

Miller, Jane. 

Jimmy, the Grocery Man. Houghton. $0.90. 
Jimmy introduces his readers to the trade which 
holds much interest for youngsters. 

Miller, Jane 

Dean and Don at the Dairy. Houghton. $0.90. 
This boy and girl pass on to others the infor¬ 
mation gathered from a new experience. 
Newberry, Clare 

Babette. Harper. $1.50. 

A little girl earned the right to own this lovely 
kitten, Babette. 


98 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Newberry, Clare 

Barkis. Harper. $1.50. 

Barkis is a spaniel so soft and lovable—one 
finds oneself touching the drawings to see if he 
is real! 

Newberry, Clare 
Mittens. Harper. $1.50. 

A kitten so marked by nature that he could 
have no other name! 

Nichols, Ruth A. 

Billy. Macmillan. $1.75. 

Events in a little boy’s day shown in photo¬ 
graphs. 

Nichols, Ruth A. 

Nancy. Macmillan. $1.75. 

Full page photographs show Nancy at work and 
play. 

Potter, Miriam Clark 

Mrs. Goose and Three Ducks. Stokes. $1.25. 

Fewer pictures than other mentioned titles, but 
the delightful nonsense bubbles throughout the 
text. 

Potter, Miriam Clark 
Sleepy Kitten. Dutton. $2.00. 

The kitten, itself, takes you through the pages 
of this lovely story book. 

Potter, Edna, Compiler and Illustrator 
This Way and That. Oxford. $2.25. 

Excellent illustrations with simple games and 
tunes. 


SOURCES OF RECOMMENDED MATERIAL 99 


Read, Helen S. 

Jip and the Fireman. Scribner. $0.60. 

Story of a dog who was adopted by a fireman, 
and his adventures. 

Salway, Cecile and Billie 

Children on the Map. Garden City. $0.98. 

Each page is devoted to the picture and story 
of the children of other lands. 

Sewell, Helen 

Blue Barns. Macmillan. $1.75. 

Farm adventures of two geese and some ducks. 

Tousey, Sanford 

Cowboy Tommy. Doubleday. $1.50. 

Cowboy Tommy's Roundup. Doubleday. $1.50. 
Boys will love to read of Tommy’s visit to the 
ranch. 

Washburne, Heluiz 

Little Elephant Catches Cold. Albert Whitman. 

$ 1 . 00 . 

A funny little story of an elephant who has a 
cold. 

Webb, Clifford 

Butterwick Farm. Warne. $2.00. 

While looking for a lost doll, two children make 
many farm friends. 

Wenden, Nadine 

The Freckle-Faced Bear. Stokes. $1.00. 

A mischievous bear who didn’t do as his mother 
wished! 


100 


THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BABYHOOD 


Williamson, Hamilton 
A Monkey Tale. Doubleday. $0.75. 

The life of a little monkey in the jungle. 

Winchell, Dorothy 

Polly Parrot. Albert Whitman. $1.00. 

Story of a parrot who did not like to take 
bath, 

Winchell, Dorothy 
Jocko. Albert Whitman. $1.00. 

Tale of a monkey who gets into mischief. 






























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